AVAILABLE NOW ~ The V Card by Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente ~ EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

A brand new sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy from bestselling authors Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente, THE V CARD is about all of the seduction and emotions that come when one woman is ready to ditch her V card and enlists her brother’s best friend to teach her the art of seduction! What happens next when he agrees to help her get top marks in seven days are lots of steamy and heartfelt moments. THE V CARD is available now!

When you think about how easy it is to lose keys, phones, sunglasses and your dignity on social media, you might figure it’d be a cinch for me to ditch my V Card.

You’d be wrong.

At 25, I run a successful business, live in a fantastic apartment, and have fabulous friends to go out with any night of the week. And yet I’m still a card-carrying member of a club I don’t want to belong to anymore. Good thing I know just the man for the deflowering job—my brother’s business partner and best friend.

Graham Campbell is charming, smart, and, I’m told, oh-so-skilled in the sack. As long as I keep my eyes on the prize, there’s no way this pluck-the-flower project could possibly complicate matters.

***

Work and pleasure. As the CEO of a fast-growing company, I’ve been enjoying both to the fullest. What do I do when the board throws me for an unexpected loop so I can keep my business in my hands? I enlist the help of my best friend’s little sister since she holds a big stake in the company. But then I learn there’s another big stake she wants.

The one between my legs.

I can do this. Seven nights to teach her everything I know in the bedroom. There’s no way I’ll fall for her, even though she’s earning top grades in every single sinfully sexy lesson. And turns out I’m learning something too. The trouble is I don’t have the answer key to what to do when I fall hard for her.

“Their chemistry is scorching hot…The V Card is charming, feel-good entertainment punctuated by searing heat, heartwarming moments and the magic of New York City.”– USA Today

As we settle in, the busboy brings the waters, and I cut to the chase. “So, I hate to crash the Sunday Funday vibe, but I invited you to brunch with an ulterior motive. I need a favor.”

She spreads her napkin on her lap with a raised brow. “What kind of favor?”

“I need you at next Monday’s board meeting. As you know, we lost an important account last month when Beaux Rêves in Paris went with a cheaper option. Obviously, they aren’t our only account, not by a long shot. But given how volatile the industry has been lately, I need to make it crystal clear to the shareholders that selling isn’t the right path. With the number of mergers and acquisitions going on, they’re seeing dollar signs, but quick money isn’t the answer. That’s where you come in.”

“You want them to hear from me because of my shares?” she asks, her brow furrowing. “We don’t have anything close to a majority.”

Though CJ inherited Sean’s share of the business when he passed away, that’s not why I need her at the meeting. CJ has a way of putting people at ease, of winning their trust and confidence. She’s a successful business owner in her own right—her accessories company Love Cycle Creations is growing by leaps and bounds every year. Plus, she was courted early on by an accessories conglomerate and she declined—totally the right call, as her company is now a rising star in her field.

I nod. “Of course, but that’s not the only reason. I need to convince them that now is not the time to explore getting into bed with a huge multinational retailer. And to do that, it’ll help to hear from someone with an insider’s stock holdings and an outsider’s perspective. I want them to hear from you in particular since you went through something so similar with Love Cycle.”

“On a much smaller scale, though. My company is tiny compared to Adored.”

“Size doesn’t matter.” I pause to wiggle an eyebrow for effect. “Well, in this case.”

A faint blush spreads on her cheeks. “You and the innuendo.”

“I do love innuendo. I also love Adored. That’s why I want to keep it the way it is—growing, profitable, and independent. I don’t want it swallowed by some faceless corporate giant.” A smile teases her lips for a moment and then disappears. I can’t read her at all, so I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting for an answer. “Please, CJ,” I add when she stays silent for a long beat. “I need you.”

“You need me,” she echoes, her brow smoothing as she sighs. She takes a drink of water, sets down her glass, and runs the tip of her tongue across her lips.

I watch her tongue move, wondering why I’ve never noticed how amazing her mouth is. She has the bee-stung lips of a cover girl, in a shade of pink so deep it brings to mind flushed, hot, intimate things.

Things I should be thinking of in her presence.

In anyone’s presence.

Resist, Campbell, resist…

Finally, just as I’m gearing up to beg, she looks up, a mysterious smile curving her lips. “I know exactly what you need, Graham.”

Damn, that sounded…naughty.

I reach for my water glass, needing something to cool me down since innocent words from a woman I’ve known forever are sending my thoughts straight into the gutter.

“But before I agree to your request,” she adds, her fingers drumming lightly on the white tablecloth, “I need something from you, too. Something I’ve been thinking long and hard about. Very long. And very hard.” Her eyes meet mine, trouble flickering in her gaze.

Glass halfway to my lips, I freeze.

Christ. Who the hell is this sexy-as-sin woman, and what has she done with CJ?

“Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente are a match made in ROM-COM heaven! THE V CARD was an OUTSTANDING romantic comedy that has heart humor, and an INSANE amount of chemistry! I couldn’t take my eyes off the pages for even a minute!”– Shayna at Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

“Ms. Blakely and Ms. Valente have written a book that allowed me to laugh, swoon, get revved up and fall in love.”– My Girlfriend’s Couch Blog

Everything you need for a HOT DATE!
An adorable Kate Spade hand bag to carry the essentials needed for date night ($179), a $75 Gift Card to the Restaurant of Your Choice, and a $50 Gift Card to your Favorite Lingerie Shop to heat things up after dinner!

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 85 times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In December she’ll release THE V CARD, a sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy co-written with Lili Valente. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletterWebsite | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

USA Today bestselling author Lili Valente writes both naughty things and funny things (that are also naughty). She has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.